I love when authors take a classic tale and put a wholly original spin on them--especially when it's one that is super unique and well thought out. Not only is this concept just that, but the execution is well done as well. I was very impressed by this dark reimagining of the Peter Pan/Captain Hook story.

This was a new author to me and a very interesting perspective on a classic story! I really enjoyed the element of Peter Pan being two characters. The story worked really well and I very much enjoyed it!

4.5 ⭐
1 🌶️

Peter Pan has been coming to visit Wendy since she was 13 years old, but when she is 17 things start to change between them. Peter takes her to Neverland and after a while she agrees to never leave, but due to unfortunate circumstances Wendy ends up going back to London and breaks Peters heart along the way.
18+ years later, Wendy has just dropped her twin daughters off at college when Peter appears at her window and forces her to come back to Neverland with him to find something he has lost.

I have never been a huge Peter Pan fan, but this book has definitely changed that. This book hooked me and I didn't want to put it down. The story just kept getting better and better.
This book takes the childrens story of Peter Pan and makes it for adults, it goes so deep into the background if the story and gives so much perspective on the story.

100% recommend reading this, but check your trigger warnings first.

For me the book was flat as I felt it missed some depth or was not even intriguing. I haven't read the first edition but I think it should have been left as it was or write something new but less dark. Taking an already published book and make changes to the genre etc feels a bit off to be honest.

At 17, Wendy and Peter Pan met for the first time. Now two decades later, Peter comes back to Wendy. This has some of the same elements of the classical telling of Peter Pan, but this version adds in its own spice and variation. "Losing Neverland" by Brittany Montgomery incorporates great character dynamics, but something is lacking in the plot. It is a quick read of a class story with a modern twist that I enjoyed.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy in exchange for a fair review.

Losing Neverland was decent for what it was, but it felt like a big piece was missing throughout the entire book. I kept waiting for more and was pretty let down. I understand it was originally published as a more graphic book. I do not think that is what was missing from the story, however. Retellings are great when they are done well. This one was just lacking in focus. Giving it 3 stars for the premise.

#NetGalleyARC This book left me feeling like something was missing from it, it felt like it was lacking something. I really wanted to enjoy it, I usually love retellings of stories but this one wasn’t it. Maybe I should find the original version since this is a remake of it. Not going to continue with the series.

This was bad. It had so much potential and I was quite excited for it. The characters fell flat. Although we had glimpses of the past, we did not truly understand what had happened. It also felt like the author put a scene after a scene, no link between them. I read that this was originally a dark romance and the author decided to make it a regular fantasy romance, but it truly felt like something was missing. As if the author just removed the sex scenes, but left every other detail. Meaning we would get the tension between the characters and then boom nothing. I wouldn't say the tension scenes were the best either, I just felt like it was not actually reworked. They just removed the 300-words sex scenes and left the rest as is.

Overall would not recommend, it felt like a poorly written/poorly edited book.

This book is a bit darker than I normally like but the story is well thought out and engaging. The notice on the front said certain scenes were rewritten to remove the sexually violent parts, which is appreciated.

A captivating venture into the realm of dark fairytale retellings, this book surpassed my expectations. The characters underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving in ways that added depth and complexity to the narrative. The choice to present the story from multiple perspectives was a brilliant touch, offering a nuanced exploration of the interconnected lives within this fantastical world.
From the outset, the tale ensnared my attention, weaving a spell that held strong until the very end. The author's skillful storytelling not only immersed me in a world of enchantment but also crafted characters whose journeys resonated with authenticity. It's the kind of narrative that lingers in your thoughts, leaving you eagerly anticipating more from this imaginative and evocative storyteller.

Thank you very much to the author and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book I really appreciate it!

I really loved the premise of this book, I loved the little takes from the original and how obvious it could be taken the way the author did take it. I really really liked this book and the actual story within it and that there were zero errors and the writing was flawless. My problem is 1 I'd love to know how the original was actually written because this book is still a very very dark and twisted book and that really needs to be clarified at the beginning. 2 this book is apparently meant to start a series no offense honestly it shouldn't be it really really shouldn't have been. The actual story is solid and when the actual story and flashbacks came out it grabbed you like you wouldn't believe but this book dragged sooo badly, the beginning took far too many pages and I honestly wanted to quit reading it. There's too much in my opinion useless filler to back tell and go through that could have happened in quite a few pages less. When you actually read between the pages the real story the one you love is maybe only 150 pages, all the rest of the pages are filler or prequels to other things and it's a lot at least that's how it feels to me. It needs to be cut back, I only pushed on so I could finally get to the ending which surprise you're cut off in an unexpected and honestly in my opinion unneeded ending. I really want to know how this author takes the rest of this story but I honestly dont want to read another book. If the unnecessary dragging parts had been cut there would have been enough room to finally finish this story. This would have been a fantastic and extremely popular book as a stand alone, there's not enough draw to turn it into a duology or a series there's not. It should have stayed as one book. Until I got to that ending I was going to rate it a 4, when that ending came after slogging through to get what I hoped for it became a 3 and it's only that because of the true story within. So I wish to thank NetGalley and the author again for allowing me the opportunity to read this book I appreciate it.

𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 by Brittany Montgomery is a retelling of Peter Pan into a darker and naughtier version of the story. Every original characters are there, however Peter Pan is also Hook which means than when the darkest part of his mind takes control, he becomes Hook. Wendy is still the young girl (and then mother) we know while Tinker Bell, the lost boys and even Tiger Lily become mean characters with only one wish: to get rid off Wendy so as Neverland comes back the way it was!

For the positive aspects, I loved the fact that the characters are darker, it gave another aspect to the story.
I also liked the fact that we know more about Neverland and that we have more "background" on the characters.

However, I had some problems with the soppy relationship between Wendy and Peter. It's a bit repetitive and they always ask themselves the same questions over and over again which could be a little tiresome.

Overall, it was a good story and apparently the follow up is due for 2024 and I would love to read it to see how it evolves!

3 stars !

this was a bit mid. while the story itself was unique, nothing truly captivated me and i enjoyed it for what it was, but there was just something lacking i enjoy in my (dark?) romances. this is perfect for fans of emily mcintyre’s “never after” series

I love a good fairytale retelling, especially a dark one, and this definitely met my expectations. The characters were amazing and develop so well. I loved seeing the story told from multiple perspectives. This story totally sucked me in until the very end!!

I was incredibly confused by this book. It's been published before under a different name, with a slightly different authors name, and then published again here? Very confusing. The thought behind it was cool. I liked the idea of grown up Peter Pan, and the idea that he's able to still be with Wendy. I always loved them! But beyond that, it's not a very compelling story. Definitely won't be reading the other ones in this series.

I realized after receiving this book that I had read it before when it was originally published under a different name. It's been retooled quite a bit and I didn't enjoy this version.

This book was ok… it was dark which I loved but I didn’t really connect with the story. When I learned it was adapted from another book with the same premise I was a little disappointed. The concept was cool but the actual book wasn’t in my opinion.

This book was amazing. I have always been on the look out for a Peter Pan retelling and I was so happy to find this book. The world was so beautifully done I could not stop reading. I would recommend this book to everyone!

I'm reeling. I thought I knew what I was getting into. I probably should have waited to read this until I was more emotionally prepared. Maybe it's because I'm mid-Iron-Flame, maybe it's because of reality, but this book had me depressed for three days straight. I had a heavy cloud hanging over my head and a weight on my chest that I couldn't get rid of. But you know what? Peter was right. Like Wendy, I should have asked him for air. Because when he finally breathed life back into me, I devoured the rest of this book. It was evocative and moving. On a technical note, I was pleasantly surprised by the parallels between this and the original story. I will be recommending this to all my dark romance lovers, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. Gosh. This is going to stick with me for a while. 4.5 stars rounded up

********PLEASE READ********
I have read both versions of this book and loved them. As I read through these awful one and two star, even some of the three star, reviews...I am blown away at some of what is being said. This author has it posted plain as day that this is a second edition to what she wrote under a different name and re-worked it. Here are the following warnings for anyone who is contemplating this book and by not liking it would result in an unfair review for the author.....

SMUT----there is none, look elsewhere if that is all your mind is after. It is by no means fade to black or closed door, there is spice but it isn't what the book is built on.

PLOT---it is plot heavy because there is a lot of story to be told. Again, if you aren't looking for something plot heavy don't pick up this book!

CONCEPT---this is the same author of the original and it was not adapted from another book. This book was re-worked, end of story.

YA---this book was NEVER geared towards YA nor was it ever promoted to be as such. This is by no means a YA book. I have no idea where people even got that idea!

If you are considering this book go and look at the 4 and 5 star ratings of those that have read both editions. I know reviews are based on personal opinion but please take into account those as much as you would a negative review.

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"I want to make you feel faint, Wendy. I want to make your world go black and be the only one that breathes you back to life. Gives you air."

I DO NOT even know where to begin with the absolute perfection this second edition of Losing Neverland is. I am not a person that reads many retellings but knew I would be reading Ms. Montgomery's new version since I loved the first edition so much and after doing so....I still never want to watch a single Peter Pan movie or the cartoon because I want her story to be Peter and Wendy's real story!!!

This retelling is nothing like all the others I repeatedly heard about. There is a uniqueness to the plot, a twist that the reader finds out in the very beginning. So once you know the big secret you in turn get the beautiful tale of how it came to be and where things went so wrong between these two seventeen years ago. Expected the unexpected when it comes to the connection between Peter and Wendy.

You are taken to Neverland in both the past and present. By the author taking us back to the beginning with them the reader is able to feel so much more connected to present day Peter and Wendy after that prologue. They are each other's first loves....each other's only loves, it is a love that goes deeper than either of them even realizes. It is a slow burn but the author does give the reader plenty of build up and tender moments. There are so many beautiful moments between them and honestly I was so consumed by them the slow burn was a mute point to me.

Along with Peter and Wendy there are familiar characters that play a part in their story....Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, John, and numerous Lost Boys. Ms. Montgomery gives her readers a few more plot twists thrown in the mix to have you guessing and/or questioning. Her writing flows poetically across every page. If you are looking for a story that is going to make you feel every aspect of it sprinkled with a couple surprises then this is definitely for you.